A new GAO review provides an updated look at VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization effort as the department accelerates deployments while a number of longstanding program and implementation challenges remain unresolved.
VA halted most new EHR deployments in 2023 after feedback from veterans and clinicians indicated the system was not meeting expectations. Following efforts to improve performance at the initial sites, VA resumed deployment planning and now intends to accelerate the rollout, with approximately 170 sites expected to be completed by 2031.
The scale of the effort remains significant. VA reported approximately $13.84 billion in EHRM obligations from FY2018 through the second quarter of FY2025, including $5.85 billion for the EHR contract, $3.35 billion for IT infrastructure, $1.48 billion for program management and $2.85 billion for VHA.
GAO has made 18 recommendations related to the program, including 12 designated as priorities. As of August 2026, 14 had not been fully implemented. Among the outstanding areas are an updated independent life-cycle cost estimate and integrated master schedule, along with change management, workforce training, user adoption, trouble-ticket resolution, data quality and an independent operational assessment.
GAO cautions that until the recommendations are fully implemented, future deployments risk prolonging challenges experienced during the initial rollout. Pages 8-11 provide the most relevant detail on cost, schedule and implementation challenges, while Appendix I on pages 13-14 lays out each recommendation and its current status.
